Joshua 1:5 - There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

We often look into the lives of Bible heroes - faithful men and women of God - Moses, Joshua, Deborah, and Esther - and wonder “What did they do, that I don’t have?” “Look at all the miracles in their lives… the grand escapes, the gallant heroisms, and the conquering of adversities."

Oh yes, you have these too. Many miracle you don’t notice. Why? Because half the time you are so caught up in your problems, your “what to do next” lists, and your musings of tomorrow, that you cannot see what is before you in plain sight - right now, in the present.

With faith, patience, and a drawing closer to God we also can be men and women of God’s choosing. Men and women that fulfill his purposes and are change-makers in this world. 

Jesus promises to Joshua that He would be to him as he was to Moses. And that promise is for us as well!

We are reminded in Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

In Hebrews we are turned to the promise that was made in the Old Testament and re-affirmed. This promise is for us. It is for each of us individually.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12

We are given the power to overcome. Then why are we WAITING for our miracles? Why don’t we put our lives in such a place that we are in the center of God’s plan - and then the miracles will happen! 

We should be concerned with being in God’s perfect will and wanting to be taught that perfect will for our lives.

Psalm 143:10 says, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” 

Don’t feel that because Moses, Joshua, Deborah, and Esther did amazing things for God that you can’t do it because of 

this or that reason.

God uses the weakest of the weak. He doesn’t need to use famous people to do HIs bidding. He doesn’t need to use the richest people to help others.

Instead, most often He uses people like you and me. People with faults and weaknesses, who are tempted and fail many times.

But He says to you and me, “My GRACE is sufficient for thee! I will make your way perfect through my strength, not yours, so others can see the miracles that I give and I give alone!”

2 Corinthians 12:9 defines our strength. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Then we will only be able to praise God for the successes He gives us, the people we are able to bring to Him, and those lives we are able to touch. We will only be able to point to HIM for all that we do, because we know we are wholly HIS and we are useless without HIM.

We must have complete dependency on Christ. Without Him we are 100% nothing and can do nothing  -  at least nothing that matters for good!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5

So instead of waiting for your miracle, your big break, or anything like that - look to Christ for His strength, His Grace, and His love. 

Then, your life will be filled with everyday miracles - you’ll notice the little things of life that are miracles, the bigger ones which keep and sustain you, and the largest one of all - The miracle of Jesus in your life living through you and shining out to a world that needs HIM.

YOU can be a Deborah, an Esther, a Joshua, a Moses. Yes, we need more of those people in our world today. Will you accept the call to surrender and live each day solely for Jesus Christ and let HIM make your weakness a perfect platform for His strength?

Then you will live a fulfilled life that is complete in Christ. Knowing that whatever life might bring, one of the biggest miracles is the fact that you have Jesus living in your heart! 

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Romans 11:33

God leads in ways past finding out. His ways are higher than ours. His plans are larger and grander than we can ever imagine. And His design for our lives is more beautiful than our wildest dreams.

It takes pain to shape our characters. It takes tears to cleanse our souls. It takes hardship to mold our hearts. But this does not mean God is not there, every step of the way - through every tear that’s shed. Never for one moment listen to the lie that God is finished with you or that the trials are more than you can bear.

As long as you have breathe, God is working. Uniting your life with others. Connecting your life in His tapestry of Grace.

I know the feeling of waiting endlessly for the Lord to work. To hear the silence was more than I could bear. I would cry out to Him in the night and awake with a prayer on my lips. “Lord, I need you. I need you to work! NOW!”

Instead, there was a stillness and a calm that permeated my soul. How could I be calm when I was going through the dark valleys of uncertainty and pain? But God was giving me HIS grace to take one day at a time, one step at a time. A feat that only HE could do through me!

He knew I needed the trial to shape me, mold me, purify my soul. He was there for each heart-wrenching part of the journey. And I felt His presence.

Finally, when my last life-line was seemingly taken, when I saw no light - no hope of recovery, and no turning back - when I knew I could not do anything in my own strength - that’s when my Lord worked. 

When I realized that my strength came from HIM who made heaven and earth. When I came to grips with the fact that my life was completely and wholly HIS. When I “let go” and gave up in my own strength and my own might - well, that’s the exact time He worked! In a powerful way!

I can say that although I see only a little picture of God’s great glory and joy that He wishes to bestow on each of us, I realize what it takes to see it and appreciate those blessings.

I am thine, Oh Lord, 

and thine alone.

Take me, make me,

All thine own.

My desire is to live in the centre of God’s will, not somewhere off course or somewhere sort-of-fairly-close. My desire is to be so rooted in God’s will that nothing will deter it. 

Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we take the Lord at His word, step into His plan, and take each day for what it is - a gift of God, an opportunity, a way to bless others - then we cannot be separated from the Lord and His will.

We must draw so close to the heart of God that even in the storm we will feel the calm of HIs presence. Even through the heartbreak we will feel loved - by Him and through Him!

So many times, our downfall is when we try to solve the puzzles or devise a plan for a quick solution to our problems. Instead we get patched up situations that are not perfect and mistakes that we wish never took place.

If we would just take each moment, each step, one at a time we will be able to savour life so much more and be able to find delight in the little things.

God is calling you to live a life that is in HIS will. He’s asking you to trust HIM so completely so that He can work where He needs to.

My friend, I know the way is sometimes hard. Sometimes it’s  so exciting and you just want the next step to come. 

But let me gently remind you that God reveals His plan just as much as we can handle. One breath, one second, one minute, one hour, and one day at a time.

So, take time to enjoy each step. Take time to draw near to God and He will give you all that you ever need.

And much, much more.

In the midst of the chaos, the swirling events of each day, and the uncertainty that the thoughts of tomorrow bring, remember to take time to BE STILL.

One reason that we so often become overwhelmed, flustered, and beaten down is our great lack to take time to just be still and hear God’s voice. To take a real, physical break to sit, listen, pray, and read the Word. To recharge for whatever may lay ahead, but now with our hand gripped firmly in the infinite One’s.

Jesus promised He would give us a water that will quench our thirst. We are constantly struggling, striving, pushing to meet the demands of this world and our society. We are thirsting for fulfillment, for approval, for acknowledgement. All along Jesus is by our side with the one thing which will quench us and satisfy our soul-hunger.

Being still in a world that is never still is something that is near impossible. The world constantly moves, changes, morphs into new trends and ideals - life is a struggle to keep up, to never fall behind. But for the Christian, taking time to be still is something that must happen, and not just once a week in Church - no, daily. 

When we lose our way and we don’t remember who we are because we are chasing the dreams, the aspirations, the goals that we have set for our own feet based on a worldly measurement of success or greatness, we realize something very fast. Our chase is never ending, always exhausting, and forever draining. As our dreams fade into the distance, we wonder where we went wrong. What we did that created this pain.

Have you ever thought that it was because of our lack of communication with the one who wrote our life-story in the first place!

It's like building a home and not looking at the builder's blueprint. We say, "I got this, leave me be!" We don't consult the builder and instead try to pick up random pieces and stick them together to "make them work". Of course, this fails miserably, and we end up with a mess with all the pieces jumbled and falling apart.

That is why we must turn to God for for the heart-quenching answers that He can only give.

Remember this, you are a child of God. God knew your name before you were born. He formed you. He loves you unconditionally. And He never gives up on you. He sees your brokenness and through it tries to speak. 

Yet, how often we  are so caught up in either only seeing our troubles and becoming full of self-pity, ignoring our troubles (and also ignoring anything to do with fixing them), or trying to pretend nothing is wrong, and we are “fine, thank-you very much”. Inside though, our heart does not lie about the real situation. We want to be heard. We want to find our life-purpose, our mission. We want the pieces to fit together.

If we would SIT STILL and just take time to listen. To really listen to that still small voice, we would realize what the problem is. We’ve been relying on our own strength rather than God’s mighty power in our life - grace. We’ve been filled with self-pity in some cases and loathing in others, instead of seeing who we are through God’s eyes - a wonderful creation, formed for a reason. A reason far beyond breathing each day, just “getting by”, and finishing each week of work.

My friend, we are here for much more. God has a purpose for YOU! And He wants to talk to you. Will you take a moment to listen and spend time with Him? Just as a friend wants to spend time with you, because they want to get to know you more, so Jesus wants you to spend time with Him too so that you can get to know HIM more. 

In the chaos and uncertainly of this world, we will only find our strength and courage in Christ. We can only find it if we go to HIM asking, learning, and soaking it all in.

In a world that focuses on being constantly busy to cover up the heart-cry for something more fulfilling, let us take a few moments to be still. And wait for the still small whisper in each of our hearts.

Life is not easy, yet it is not impossible with God by our side. He will make a way when no way is seen and He will open doors when we see only a wall of discouragement.

But we must first ask, and to ask we must take a moment to be still and know that “HE IS GOD”.

PRAYER:

Lord, I know that in a world of hurry and rush, I can get so caught up in it that I forget to seek your face. So, Father, help me to make time to hear your whisper in my heart and come away from the all of the busyness of life, to spend time with YOU. I gain my strength from YOU. I gain courage from YOU. And my hope is found in Your Son’s sacrifice for my sins. I pray that I will tune my ear to hear your voice in my heart and that I will become spiritually strong in Your name. I pray this in Jesus Name, Amen. 

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. - Psalms 55:6

Look up and see the dove, flying without a care and worry. With a swoop the graceful creature extends its wings and with a flash of white is gone. In Psalms, we read about the dove. How often have you wistfully looked at the birds and wished that you could fly away with them. Leaving your worries and cares, trials and troubles, you’d fly to the place that would be restful and calm. 

One place is peaceful, and we read about it in Revelation.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

We look forward to that day, but still wonder where can we can find peace, comfort, and hope in a world that is torn apart and ready to fall to pieces before our eyes. 

In this journey called life, it is easy to start looking at the difficult circumstances, focus on them, and become discouraged. Before we realize it, those same trials have increased and are creeping over the very path our feet are upon. The evil plants of discouragement and despair seem to choke our souls. In our hearts, we become distressed and look for a way of escape.

In Psalms, David wishes to escape his trials, be free of the pain, and fly away to a restful place.

There is only one place to find peace. To find true freedom from the cares of life, and the tides of the world.

It is where God is. 

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

We are a called people, and when we accept the gift of eternal life, the spirit of God dwells within us. 

We are able to find our restful place in GOD, even amid the discouragements, the trails, the unrest, and the pain.

God did not promise us an easy route in life - to the contrary, Jesus said, 

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Jesus Himself had a life filled with trial, disappointment, and pain but at the same time He was filled with peace knowing that His Father was with Him and that He was living out the ultimate purpose as our Lamb and Saviour. 

Because HE overcame, we can too. We can have beautiful, freeing peace. 

For  John 4:18 says, “ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

There is no fear in God’s love, and truly there is no restlessness when we realize that we are placed here and now at this place in time for a reason.  We can be as free in our hearts as the bird, and find comfort under the shadow of the Almighty.

Yes, there will be difficulties. Yes, there will be discouragement. Yes, there will be pain. It’s inevitable.

But God’s perfect love buoys our hearts, and we are given the strength and peace to get through it. 

God is in control, no matter what. He is our Anchor when our heart is ready to drift away. He is the guard of our soul in the middle of the battle. And He is the sunshine that pours into us and renews us from the inside out.

So, when your storm rages. When your flesh is failing you. When hope is gone. When your faith is gone and your future seems so unbelievably uncertain. REMEMBER. God isn’t done with you yet and He’s not letting go. 

He will lead you to peaceful streams, he will take you to calm fields of grace and love. Rest in HIM. His strong, mighty arms of infinite understanding are always there. It’s not a question of “Are they there?” But “Will I let them hold me?”

So next time you see the dove flying, remember, you are FREE. Free Indeed.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. - John 8:36

My children don't worry take my hand

I'm taking you down this road you don't understand… yet

There may be tears while your waiting for these answers

You only see the picture I can see the future

"The May Be Tears" - Scott Cunningham Band

There is no way to know what your future holds, but with a little faith and belief that God has it all in

HIs hands, you can be sure - very sure - that “it will be alright”!

Many times the things we are confident are steady, secure, and built to last crumble before our very eyes.

That plan you made for yourself 5 years ago,  crumbles away to nothing and you find yourself in a very different place than you

ever imagined. That friendship which you valued and felt would always be there fades away. That job which seemed so

steady becomes uncertain and unpredictable. The plan you had for your life seems to be the very opposite of what you had envisioned. You feel despair creep up, ready to smother you with fear and doubt. “God my life is impossible! I cannot make sense of it”, you cry out. 

But the Lover of your soul whispers, “My child, I know your future, I see the big picture, I know what’s best. Don’t let yourself become so enwrapped with your idea of your life and its direction that you cannot see the grand story. It  is so much bigger than the small picture you see. ” Think of it this way: God can see your whole story, the whole intertwined tale of your life - while you can only see the tunnel vision which is one part, of one aspect, of one tiny sliver of your life.

My friend, one lesson we must learn in this life is this: You don’t know your future and you cannot play king or queen of your destiny. Sometimes things go out of our control and we must accept that the bigger picture is worth all the pain.

God sees the big scheme of things. He takes you down paths that you don’t understand. The impossibilities with man become great opportunities. The seeming failures become His canvas for a bright future. There may be tears, there may be heartbreak, but God has your life in His hands and before you were even born He had a perfect plan for it.

It’s going to be alright! Have faith! Just take the Lord’s hand and walk with Him one step at a time, letting Him lead.

One day, if it be in this world or the next, we will understand why the pain, the heartbreak, the change, the direction of our life went the way it did. 

I like to think that we are not just separate individuals in this world. We are individuals connected and interconnected with all those around us, those people connected to those around us, and beyond. It’s a tapestry woven by God’s own hand of connections, opportunities, and miracles. The hardship that you are going through may be what it takes for one of your connections to be inspired by your faith-walk and come to the knowledge of God.  The joy that you just experienced may be a testimony of God’s great faithfulness and that neighbour you just shared with will ultimately change the course of his life just because of it.

My friend, in all of this, one thing is very certain. By faith and believing in God it will all work out; one way or another. We may not see it now, we may not understand, we may not feel joy at first, but I can tell you that God KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING!

And the most impossible dream is a possibility with God!

So don’t be afraid to dream,  don’t be afraid to hope, but put every one of those hopes and dreams in the hands of the Maker of Heaven and earth. And then your future will be secure and your questions will all be answered in time.

For now, enjoy. believe. rest. Be held in the Almighty Arms. You are safe, very safe, in those Hands of grace and love.

"Priceless (The Film Ballad)” - FOR KING AND COUNTRY

I see you dressed in white

Every wrong made right

I see a rose in bloom

At the sight of you

You're irreplaceable, unmistakable, incomparable

Darling, it's beautiful

I see it all in you

No matter what you've heard, this is what your worth

More than all the money or the diamonds and pearls

This is who you are

Yes, this is who you are

So when it's late, you're wide awake

To much to take

Don't you dare forget that in the pain

You can be brave, give me safe

I see you dressed in white

Every wrong made right

I see a rose in bloom

At the sight of you

Irreplaceable, unmistakable, incomparable

Darling, it's beautiful

I see it all in you

Sisters, we can start again

Give honor till the end

Love, we can start again (oh oh)

Brothers, we can start again

Give honor till the end

Yes, we can start again

We can start again

We can start again

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, “Who am I” ? What is God doing? What is His purpose for my life? Who have I become now? Where am I headed? 

You see the flaws, the imperfections. You see the mistakes, the blunders, and they make you cringe. Your pain is great, the questions and uncertainties overflowing your heart.

Yet, if you could see what God sees, your perspective would change. If you could see His love for you, poured out without measure. If you could see how He sees you - a canvas ready to paint, a vessel ready to fill. If you could see how He formed you, the life-plan he mapped just for you, you would realize that you are worth it. Yes, we do mistakes. Yes, we foolishly follow our fickle hearts, and get hurt in the process. But, if you could see Him standing there, asking you to start over with HIM, what would you say?

You were bought with a price. And because of this you are priceless. Your wealth, your looks, your temporary situation is non-relevant. God sees a rose ready to bloom; ready to explode into colour, grace, and beauty. 

Sisters, you can start again, and watch Jesus work in your lives. Brothers, you can start over, and honour God in your hearts.

You are offered a new heart, a new chance, new hope, a new life. 

You are a beautiful creation. You are no accident. Your life is precious, and your life-path is mapped intricately with the finger of God. 

When you are ready to give up, when you are pulled down by the enemy’s lies of  your inadequacy, your failures, your sins - throw it right back. “I am the child of the Heavenly God. I am His and He is mine. I am an overcomer through Jesus! I am bought with a price and am priceless!”

You are irreplaceable, unmistakeable, incomparable - more than any diamonds, pearls, or wealth - so don’t ever forget.

What will you do? Will you now step forward in the knowledge that your life is precious, you are one-of-a-kind, and loved beyond belief? 

Will you start again, with God’s grace covering, God’s love enfolding, and God’s power urging you on?

For only when you let go of the lies the enemy is telling you, and see yourself through God's eyes, you will be able to confidently move forward, knowing that you are a precious child of the Heavenly Father.

Each of us has a Jericho. Each of us has a Goliath. Each of us comes to the walls, look up and cringe at the heights. We see the giant of a trial and our hearts shudder.  

Yet, something becomes apparent very quickly. We either go forward or fall back. We either shrug off our fears or let them overtake us. 

Do we want to take the wide path, the way paved with deceptive ease? Or do we say “NO!” And overcome through Gods grace with a “I WILL FIGHT, LORD”

Living safe does not mean living stronger. Sometimes turning our back on comfort and striking out on the conquerors path means letting go of our fears and just going forward in faith. 

Fear will cling to you and eat away at your very soul. It holds your heart captive, robbing you of joy, but letting God’s love in will let you truly live free again. 

You will be stronger with God’s love. Braver. Free. The one conquered by fear will be victor through Christ Jesus our Lord.

No longer afraid. ashamed. a slave to fear. 

First say, NO LONGER. I don’t want to live half alive. I don’t want to live frightened. I want to have my heart on fire for God and want to bless others freely and selflessly. 

Remember who you are. As you look up at the stars, remember you are a child of the Almighty GOD. You are precious, desired, wanted by the Lover of your soul.

So rest in that and boldly go forward. Each day a step forward, each moment a conquering of your fears and realization of God’ will. Knowing that the bonds which held you are broken and you are free - truly and wholly free.

How many times have I passed by the little things? Only to go after the big ones - the big dreams, the lofty ambitions, the huge opportunities?

How many times have I aimed for the moon, falling back to earth only because I could not, would not appreciate the stars?

How many times have I not appreciated what I am blessed with already because I am too busy searching for something greater? Dreaming about something which may not be in God's plan? Not being satisfied with right now, right here - exactly where God has placed me?

For truly, it is the little moments that count. It is the time spent with family, a friend, a loved one - the laughter, the sweet words, the heartfelt talks.

It is the sunset on a warm summer evening, painted by the hand of God, telling of His unfailing love, and attention to the little details.

It is in the miracle of a butterfly - the transformation from something with little beauty to a dainty, intricate creature that makes us stop and wonder. 

It is in the spiritual gifts from God that He gives to me. 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galations 5:22-23

And have I forgotten about the fact that God has given me HIS love - the greatest treasure of all?

Have I forgotten that I have been placed right here, right now for a purpose of God's calling? Have I missed the whole picture in seeing only my plans, and not God's way?

___________

What about the small talents I have been gifted with now - how am I using these "little things" for Christ?

God places each of us in certain capacities, I believe, to work our characters and test our faith."What will you do with that talent I have given you?" ,  Jesus asks.

Just as in scripture (Matthew 25: 14-30) the man with servants gave each different talents according to their capacity, so we are given distinct and unique talents. God wants to see how we will use them.

Our goal is for Our Lord to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23)

God fits us for bigger tasks by placing us with the little tasks. And it is the little tasks that shape us, and mold us for the greater ones.

If we are faithful in carrying out His mission in the small capacities that we now hold, and increasing these opportunities with our determination and faithfulness, God will open up new doors for us to walk through.

If we are pining for things that God has not revealed yet, and wish for that which we were not placed in, then how are we carrying forth the divine commission to be faithful in the few things? 

My desire is that I will notice the little things in my life that God has given me. The little tasks He has entrusted in my care. And do them well. Do them with a heart tuned to the melody of heaven and eyes fixed on the cross.

My prayer is that my heart will be soft to notice when others are in need of a kind word, helping hand, or silent prayer in their behalf. When someone lonely needs a smile to brighten their day. For, I cannot know when that word in season changed a life for the better. 

It's the little things that shape us, make us, and mold us into the individuals that we are. 

For, it is through the "little things" that we are able to reveal the love and character of Christ and touch one soul, one heart at a time.